The Difference A Day Makes
by Ritt-chan
Summary: After only a day spent with a surprise guest at the Phantomhive manor, Ciel outwardly questions his affections toward Elizabeth. As if that weren't enough, the Earl has to keep his fiancee and his new guest from tearing each other apart, all the while battling his feelings for each of the ladies. Ciel x OC
1. A Visitor

**_So, I know it's not very wise to have three stories going at once... but who cares! Anyway, I hope this is to your liking._**

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There were three loud bangs on the front door of the Phantomhive mansion. Who on Earth could be out there at this late hour? And not to mention the weather. The way the wind howled shook most with fear. And the way it blew forced normally gentle rain drops to feel like blades on a human's skin. Especially one with skin as delicate as hers. The one outside the Phantomhive mansion, the one who had knocked on the door.

The butler of the estate opened the large doors to find a pitiful sight indeed. A short girl in a pale blue dress was on her knees, soaking wet from head to toe, and panting as if she'd ran there. Deep chocolate-brown eyes peaked through dampened black bangs to look up at the servant.

"Madam, please come in. It's unseemly for a young lady like yourself to be out at a time like this," the butler said, guiding the weak girl into the large house. "Th-Thank y-y-you," the girl stuttered. The girl's voice trembled as much as her body did. "You're very welcome, My Lady. My name is Sebastian Michaelis. Please excuse me while I fetch my master and let him know of your arrival," Sebastian said, turning on his heel to retrieve his young lord.

"Sebastian." A commanding voice stopped him from a hallway that was behind the girl. "There is no need. I know of this girl's presence," the Earl said, strutting into the lobby. "What is your name?" he asked her. His face was plain and his voice had as little concern as he could manage. It took a bit for the girl to stop shivering long enough to speak coherently. "I… I am Lydia Katherine Francis—" she was stopped by a small hand held up by the Earl. "Say no more. I know who you are now. I've done business with your father before. Welcome to the Phantomhive Manor. See to it that this girl is dried and had clean clothes immediately, Sebastian," CIel said, with a small, tired, forced smile.

"Yes, My Lord," Sebastian said, as he led the girl by her shoulders through the intricate halls of the house of Phantomhive.

Once they were out of sight, Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose in slight irritation. "The last thing I need right now is a guest."

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**_A/N: I just had to get this idea out there! It was bugging me for a while now. I'll update soon. I think... ~xoxo~_**


	2. Purple Roses

**_Wow. I'm updating on time now! Let's see how long I can keep this up!_**

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"Pssst! Mister Sebastian!" Lydia called, as she caught Sebastian in the hall passing her bedroom.

"Yes, Miss Lydia?" he asked, coming closer.

"I…" The girl sighed. She had no idea how to say this. "Would you … mind coming into my room. I wish to speak with you privately," The blackette said, blushing. In any other context, this would be highly inappropriate, but she and Sebastian knew that her intentions were pure. "I have nothing to wear!" she cried, dropping to my knees in embarrassment after the butler had closed the door.

Sebastian chuckled. "That's not a problem, My Lady. I shall return with a dress for you momentarily."

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Sebastian returned with a dress shortly after he'd served his young master his morning tea and saw to it that there was nothing else that the boy needed at that moment.

The top half of the dress was lavender. As the garment went on, the fabric was layered so that the colors got to a deep shade of violet. The dress was so long that one almost could not see the matching shoes that tied her attire together. The short sleeves, also made of lace, were a shade of purple as well. And she wore a necklace, tight around her neck, with a false, solid amethyst rose attached to it.

"I do apologize for the lady's lateness, My Lord. She wanted to look her best for her host," Sebastian said, leading Lydia to the table in the salon where Ciel was already seated.

"It's fine," Ciel said, sipping Earl Grey. "But I'll have you know that a _proper_ lady is never late," he added, glancing at their guest.

Sitting beside Ciel Lydia asked, "Earl, are you implying that I am not a proper lady?"

He remained silent. Not confirming nor denying her accusation. She giggled. _This should certainly be fun._ She thought.

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The two of them ate quickly and silently. Even though the food had been gone for quite some time now, Lydia and Ciel still sat together. In the silence. It wasn't a comfortable quietness either, where you're just enjoying the other's company. It was an awkward stillness, one where you want to leave the room but you're afraid to move because you might insult the other person.

Just as Ciel had decided to leave Lydia smiled, softly. And the whole of the room had changed. The cold spiteful silence had ceased. And the place felt warm. Feeling the mood in the room change, Ciel faced Lydia, who was still smiling.

"Pardon my rudeness, Miss Lydia. But what on Earth is there to smile about?" Ciel asked.

The girl smiled even more. You could almost see both rows of her teeth. "Oh… nothing I suppose. I'm just _so _grateful for your letting me stay here, Earl Phantomhive. I wish I could repay you in some way…"

"Please, that's nonsense. The Phantomhives were well known for their hospitality. Think of my housing you as a gift," Ciel smiled that happy, phony smile that he'd learned how to mimic all too well. "How exactly did you end up in that storm last night anyway?"

"I was on my way back from London. I hadn't heard of any news of a storm coming. And by the time my driver and I were on the road the winds picked up. The next thing I knew it was pitch black out and my coach was wrecked. I ran to the nearest house I could find, and it just so happened to be yours," Lydia smiled again, this time a light blush appearing on her cheeks.

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Later that night Ciel was snug under his blankets. He'd just had his bath and a warm cup of milk to help him sleep. He was tired, but not yet tired enough to fall asleep.

"Lady Lydia requested that I give this to you, My Lord," Sebastian said, offering a thorn-less, lavender-colored rose on a silver platter.

"And what's the meaning of this?" Ciel asked, taking the rose and smelling it.

"This morning, I spoke to Lydia. She began to go on about the 'language of flowers'. Apparently if one is gifted a lavender-shaded rose, it symbolizes love at first sight."

Holding the rose almost at an arm's length, Ciel stared at it. Almost studying it.

_This is either the start of something really good, or really bad. _he thought.

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_**I'm sorry this is such a lengthy chapter. But things will pick up soon! I promise! ^^ ~xoxo~**_


	3. When Are You Leaving?

_**I'm late, and I'm sorry. I've been preparing for my chorus's concert tomorrow night. Wish me Luck! ^^**_

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Lydia woke up early today. She was in the dining room. If you looked out of one of the windows there, just as she was doing now, you could get a great view the trees outside. She seemed to be hypnotized by nature's beauty. That is, until Ciel entered the room, looking for her.

"Lydia," Ciel spoke, edging closer to the girl.  
"Yes, Ciel?" she asked, turning to face him, a smile gracing her face.  
"…" Ciel was silent. He'd open his mouth to say something, but then the words escaped his mind, leaving him speechless.

Lydia's smile slowly turned into a small, understanding, solemn grin. "I know what you're about to say. Or at least I think I do," she started, turning back to face the window. "When are you leaving? Is that right? Is that what you were about to ask me, Ciel?" She turned to him again, this time all traces of a smile gone for two reasons; she'd just called the earl by his first name; and because she was sure she was right. She'd overstayed her welcome and the members of the Phantomhive manor had grown bored of her. Chocolate eyes bore Ciel and he averted her gaze. "I wouldn't have put it as bluntly as you did," he admitted.

Lydia giggled, but not wholeheartedly. Even so, half-hearted as it was, it was that laugh that had captured Ciel in the first place. He liked Lydia, a lot. That much was clear. But he had a feeling that it would never go beyond that. Ciel didn't think that he could ever grow to love Lydia or anyone for that matter. To Ciel, love was a useless emotion that only made people focus on useless things. Though even if that weren't the case, the child had no more love to give. It had left him after the unforgiving fire that stole the lives of his parents and pet dog. And the little pieces of amity that hadn't left his heart (or lack thereof) had hardened, and turned into fuel for a cold, relentless, intolerant hunt for revenge.

Another chuckle from Lydia. "Well, to answer your question, I don't know when I'm leaving. I've written to, called, and tried every way in between to contact my father and driver from the night of the crash. I started this the day after the accident. When Father didn't answer my letters or calls, I began to get frightened and panicked… on the inside. I was unsure of what to do then. I'm still unsure…"

"And you didn't let anyone know? How were you supposed to find them all on your own?" Ciel asked, the edge in his voice making Lydia cringe. "I was unsure of what to do," she repeated, more quietly this time. Ciel sighed, noting that his tone had upset the girl somewhat.

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_**Reviews! I needs them! ~xoxo~**_


	4. I'm Sure You'll Get Along

_**Enjoy!**_

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Days turned to weeks and those soon turned into months. Lydia had accumulated quite a collection of dresses during her stay at the Phantomhive manor, and the general dislike that Ciel originally had for her slowly dissipated. That fake smile that he gave to everyone else became a real one around her. She'd even started calling him by his first name. It slipped out once a while ago and she was never corrected. Ciel blushed and laughed and smiled more often. He was almost a different person.

The servants had taken a liking to her as well. She'd taught Mey-Rin to be a little less clumsy, showed Baldroy how to properly prepare a meal for him young master, and well… she sometimes kept Finnian company in the garden. There was really no way for Lydia to help him train his brute strength. Sebastian had even grown rather fond of her.

"Young Master, this came for you today. I have reason to believe it is from your fiancée," Seabstian said, handing Ciel a letter in a pink envelope off of a silver platter. His first name was written in handwriting so fancy that it almost wasn't legible. Lydia, who was already sitting beside Ciel, peeked her head up from behind her book, watching Ciel take the letter.

She'd forgotten that he was betrothed.

"She wishes for me to join her for tea sometime soon. I should have expected this. I knew this was coming after about 2 months without a letter or call from her," the earl thought aloud. He looked to his side at Lydia, who seemed to still be quite interested in one of his books of poems written by an Edgar Allen Poe. "Lydia," he called her. She dropped the book almost immediately into her lap, all of her attention now focused on Ciel. "You might like Elizabeth. You two seem to have a lot in common. Yes… I could see you getting along swimmingly." The way he said it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than his guest that she and his fiancée would behave around one another.

Lydia giggled. "I'm sure the two of us will get along just fine, Ciel. From what I can read of that letter you're holding, I can tell that she's obviously a very sweet girl."

Ciel smiled and Sebastian let out a low chuckle.

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_**Sorry these chapters are getting so short. Maybe a review would help me write more?**_


	5. Who Are You?

_**Sorry for being so late with this. I've been sick the past few weeks.**_

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"Cieeeeel~!" Elizabeth screeched as she jumped from her carriage, running through the many halls of the large house before her, in search of her beloved fiancée. Shoving the giant glass doors that led to the garden open, she trotted outside, expecting to see Ciel. But instead she found Lydia, sipping on a cup of Earl Gray. Lydia's hair had grown a bit since her arrival. The tousled locks trailed halfway down her back now. The top half of the dress she wore was a dark green, and the bottom half, just below her bust, was almost a pastel shade. The garment's buttons went all the way up to the girl's neck, much to her dismay.

"You must be another one of the Phantomhives' servants! Wonderful! I'd like some more Earl Grey with 3 sugars please. Why don't you go fetch that for me?" the blackette said, with a dismissive flick of her hand.

"W-Who are you?" Elizabeth asked, with her jaw dropped. Her golden curls trembling a bit as she shook her head slightly in confusion. Her dress was somewhat similar to Lydia's. The buttons were fastened up to her neck as well, but she didn't mind. Elizabeth's dress was pink, however, and had more ruffles than Lydia's did.

Before anything could really jump off though, a somewhat amused chuckle rang from the doorway. "Lydia. I see you and Elizabeth have finally met," Ciel noted, strutting over to sit beside Lydia, gesturing for his fiancée to sit on the other side of him. Hesitantly, Elizabeth took her seat, glaring every few seconds at the other woman at the table. How dare she address the bride to be of the Queen's Watchdog as a servant? _I'll show her,_ the blonde thought, tugging slightly on Ciel's sleeve to gain his attention. Sebastian soon emerged from the house as well, bringing the extra Earl Grey Lydia had requested earlier.

"Yes, Elizabeth?" Ciel asked, a forced smile on his features.

"Ciel, about that Lydia girl… who exactly is she?" Elizabeth asked, in the sweetest tone she could muster. Which, at the moment, didn't sound very sweet at all.

Ciel chuckled. _I never would have pegged Elizabeth as the jealous type… then again, I don't know why I hadn't seen this coming before, _the nobleman thought, setting his tea down before answering. "Well, I suppose I should start with apologizing for my lateness. It was very disrespectful of me to keep my fiancée waiting after not seeing her in such a long time. Now, Elizabeth, to answer your question," Ciel stood and gestured to Lydia prior to her introduction. "This is Lydia Katherine Francis," Ciel told her, matter-of-factly, as if that was all she needed to know. Elizabeth's brows furrowed a bit, like she needed more information than that. "She is the daughter of one of my business partners. Her father has been most helpful to Funtom Company, and I hope you treat her at least half as kindly as you'd treat me."

Sitting back down, Ciel resumed sipping his tea, glancing at the blonde from behind the tea cup, as if to say, "Did that answer your question?"

After that moment, the rest of the meal was silent. It was mostly spent with Ciel stealing glances at Lydia, Lydia glaring at Elizabeth, and Elizabeth gazing lovingly at Ciel. "The lot of you are awfully quiet," Lydia spoke up after a while. "Lady Elizabeth, we should all get to know each other. Don't you agree? Why don't you start? Surely the Queen's Watchdog's fiancée would have some entertaining stories to tell!"

Like clockwork, the bubbly girl began recounting the time when she and Ciel went on a trip to New York. And eventually began talks of her own accomplishments, along with those of her family. Ciel, already having knowledge of this, was semi-absent during Elizabeth's "conversation with Lydia. And said blackette simply threw all the information given to her away. Other than an occasional nod or false giggle, the girl really didn't pay attention at all.

"… And then my brother said—" Elizabeth was cut off by a crisp breeze of cool air. "Oh dear, it seems I've talked the day away," she realized. "It seems you have indeed," Lydia said. Weather it was sarcastic or not no one could tell. That was one of the things about Lydia that Elizabeth found she wasn't overly fond of.

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_**Review! Sorry if this is lengthy. Just trying to make up for the late updates.**_


	6. The Bearer of Bad News

_**I don't own Kuroshitsuji.**_

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Elizabeth left before it got particularly dark and Ciel and Lydia each went to their respective bedrooms for the evening. But soon Elizabeth's visits became more and more frequent, and with each visit, Lydia felt less and less like a third wheel and began to speak up more.

At one point, before taking a trip to the theatre, the girls got into a rather heated argument about which hat would look better on Ciel- the one Elizabeth had bought for him or the one Lydia purchased. Elizabeth's was a more grand piece: The hat was as big as day, and the large sky blue and white stripped bow on the side only drew more attention to Ciel. While the hat Lydia got was smaller, a navy dark blue stripe went around the base of the mini top hat. In a word, it was simple. Finally, Ciel ended their bickering by agreeing to wear Elizabeth's hat first (seeing as she is his fiancée after all), and wear Lydia's for the second half of the event.

But today, after a fencing lesson, the bubbly blonde girl was feeling especially confident. During tea in the dining room, Ciel left the ladies to their own devices. This was her chance.

"Lydia Katherine Francis, I challenge you," Elizabeth spoke triumphantly, like she had the girl cornered or something.

Lydia chuckled and threw dark curls off of her shoulder. "I don't see why my entire name was necessary for that. But besides that, why should I accept your challenge? I didn't even know a girl like you would have any experience whatsoever with a sword."

"A girl like me? What's that supposed to mean?"

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Meanwhile, in a nearby room, Ciel was having a much less pleasant conversation.

"What do you mean you don't have any suspects yet? If you ask me, all signs point to one person!" the earl shouted into the phone.

"I'm sorry, Earl. It's just that this is a much more difficult case than you may think," an officer told the child.

"I disagree. I'll be in town soon," the earl insisted and then slammed the phone down. "I cannot believe that those are the people put in charge of protecting Her Majesty's city," the slate-haired boy mumbled, stomping back into the dining room, only to catch his fiancée and friend in yet another argument.

"I just feel it would be rude of you to decline," Elizabeth retorted.

"And? What's the matter with that? We aren't in the public eye. So I don't necessarily have to come off as affable. Besides, I'm really not in the mood," Lydia said, arms folded.

"I wasn't in the mood for you when we first met you know. But here I am. Dealing with it," Elizabeth said matter-of-factly.

"That's wonderful. You're being the perfect lady. Always keeping your mouth shut- in public and in private." Elizabeth smiled, for what Lydia said seemed to be a genuine complement. "But that the hell do you want for that? A cookie?" Lydia added with a grin on her face. Ciel was unable to completely conceal his laughter, which gave notice of his presence.

"Cieeeel!" the blonde screamed, jumping from her seat and running toward her fiancée with arms open wide, as she normally did upon seeing the boy. Lydia rolled her eyes.

"Elizabeth, what's the matter with you?" Ciel asked, prying the girl from his clothes. "Elizabeth, we don't have time for this!" Ciel looked away from her and up at Lydia, although he was unable to look her in the eye either.

"Ciel, what is it?" Lydia got a feeling that something was wrong. She too, rose from her seat and walked toward the earl.

"Sebastian," Ciel called for his butler, and left the room, he couldn't be the bearer of bad news. "Take care of this for me," his retreating form called.

"Sit with me ladies." The way Sebastian said it made it sound more like a command than a request. But the girls sat anyway, both on either side of Sebastian. "It seems that there have been a series of crashes similar to the one that you, Lydia, made it out of. The only difference is that all passengers of the coach have been missing. As it turns out, the erises and their fathers have been being kidnapped and recently, killed as well." The butler stopped upon seeing the look of horror on Lydia's face.

The girl stood quickly, knocking her chair to the floor. "Is my father dead?" she asked, tears threatening to fall.

"We're not yet sure. But that's what my I've been invited to town to find out. You're welcome to come along if you wish," Ciel said from the doorway, walking over to pull Lydia into a much needed embrace. "The both of you. You may both accompany me," he corrected after laying eyes on Elizabeth's covetous scowl.

"I've already been to town once this week, I suppose I could go home now," Lizzie said. Her tone was sharp and almost angry. It was very out of character for her.

"Very well. And you, Lydia?" Ciel asked. The girl pulled her tear-stained face from the crook of Ciel's neck, where it had been tucked as she sobbed softly over the possibility of her father's death.

"I... I'd like to go. I should get out of the house," she said, her voice cracking as she spoke.

"Alright," said Ciel, placing a hand on the small of her back and another on her side, guiding her to the door.

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_**A/N: Please don't hate me! Review! ... please... ~xoxo~**_


	7. All Signs Point To Grell

_**I STILL don't own Kuroshitsuji. (If I did, Grell would have been a woman. It would have saved him a lot of trouble.)**_

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Lizzie was dropped off at her own home before the others continued into town. Sebastian pulled a few stores away from the crime scene, where several citizens and police officers were gathered. Everyone immediately parted in order to make a pathway for the head of the Phantomhive family and his butler. A few people recognized Lydia and all that went with her title, so they made way for her as well.

"I'd like for you to keep my lady company. I feel that only my butler and I are necessary for the further investigation of this scene," the earl said to some officers, making eye contact with Lydia, giving her a chance to object. The girl nodded slightly, letting Ciel know that she was more than willing to stay. "Do take good care of her," Ciel advised the uniformed men on either side of Lydia, a small trace of annoyance in his voice. Lydia giggled quietly to herself at seeing how much the boy cared for her.

"My Lord, stay here for a moment, please," Sebastian suggested, sensing the presence of another creature after a bit of walking. Turning a corner he was tackled to the ground by a red-clad man. "Oh, Bassy!" he heard just before he hit the ground. "Grell," the butler acknowledged. "how nice of you to drop by like this." Sebastian promptly shoved Grell from his body after the comment, sending the gender-confused shinigami flying.

"I knew this was your doing all along!" Ciel shouted from beside Sebastian, eyeing Grell with a face that said, "You know, you're dumber than you look. And you look pretty stupid."

"Oh, did you now earl? And just how did you figure it out?" Grell questioned. "It wasn't all that difficult. Once someone described the level of gore and blood that went into the murders, I knew it was you," Ciel answered, taking a step forward, as if he could really do something to hurt the Shinigami. "Well well, it seems you two know me better than I know myself. And that's why I love you, Bassy!" Grell said, attempting to get a chance to grope at Sebastian, but instead was kicked in the stomach by the other man's long, talented legs.

"You don't have to be so rough you know. I am a lady after all!" the redhead teased. "Yeah, sure," Ciel mumbled under his breath, hoping Grell didn't hear.

"But, all things aside, I'm only doing my job, Earl."

"What do you mean? All of those noblemen couldn't have been on your list!" Sebastian countered.

"I'm not supposed to do this, but come. See for yourself," Grell invited the two over, and sure enough, all of the names of the noblemen and women who were recently murdered were on the list. Ciel still found it suspicious, but decided to question the man further once he was a little farther away from him. "What about this man, right here?" the earl asked, pointing to the name of Lydia's father, Thomas Amadeus Francis. "Oh, that man?" Grell asked, closing the book and almost catching the boy's nose in it in doing so. "I... have no idea. When his carriage crashed all those nights ago I was supposed to take him and his daughter. It seems the girl got away. But I did get the man and his driver! But they've escaped..." Grell hung his head in shame. "And on top of that, I've been demoted to these scissors again!" he added, holding up the almost useless tools for proof. Sebastian pulled his master away from the slightly unstable man, so as to keep him safe from the scissors.

"If you were only taking their souls then who's kidnapping the people?" Ciel asked. "That's an easy one! I am!" the reaper admitted gleefully. "I just love a good show! You see, we shinigami need to do things like this to make humans suspect each other and not us." Ciel rolled his eyes at the answer but in the end he told himself that it made sense. "But all those names. How do we know you didn't just leisurely add them to your list to make it look like they should have been dead all along?"

"You don't! Now, this has been a fun chat, but I must be on my way!" as Grell ran Sebstian started after him. "Sebastian... don't. We have what we came for, let's go." "Yes, My Lord." Ciel and his butler emerged from the scene later, Ciel caught a glimpse of Lydia's hopeful eyes and clasped hands, as if she were previously in the middle of a prayer. Averting his eyes, the boy spoke to an officer about his findings, being careful not to mention their encounter with Grell of course. Soon Lydia walked toward the boy, taking his hand in hers, sensing his distress. Surprised, Ciel looked at her but said nothing. Instead he gave the girl's hand a gentle squeeze, acknowledging her effort to comfort him with the crowd present.

"I'm afraid that's all we found. I'll be leaving now," the boy said, walking back to the carriage, noticing the absence of his butler. "Seabastian!"

"I'm sorry my lord. But... these kittens," Sebastian pleaded, gesturing to a group of 3 kittens near a dress shop. "Leave them!" Ciel commanded. "Yes, My Lord," Sebastian obliged, helping the two children into the carriage, his mouth in a perfect frown.

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_**~xoxo~ Review Please~!**_


	8. I'll Keep You Company

**_I don't own Kuroshitsuji..._**

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When the nobles arrived back at the manor Lydia immediately excused herself to her room.  
"Do you think she overheard?" Ciel asked his butler. "I do not think she needed to, My Lord," the butler replied. Walking over to the earl, who was deep in thought, he placed a hand on the shorter male's shoulder. "Give her time, Young Master." "Yes..." Ciel agreed. "I suppose we all grieve in different ways."

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Hours passed and Lydia still hadn't emerged from her room. Ciel began to worry about the girl. So he took it upon himself to check on her. After a bit of walking through the large house the earl came to her door. Lifting a hand to knock, he froze. What will I say to her?  
He shook his head, dismissing thoughts like those and deciding to make things up as he went along. A soft, almost timid knock sounded against the girl's door. One she was very reluctant to open. After what felt like an hour but was really only 30 seconds, the earl began to turn and take his leave. Perhaps she's sleeping... he convinced himself.

He turned back around upon hearing the door open. "Lydia..." he spoke. Her hair was tousled and the gown she wore was wrinkled. Her feet were bear and her cheeks tear-stained. "Hello, Ciel," the girl before him sniffled, her voice still cracking. Stepping closer to the doorway Ciel said, "I didn't mean to wake you." "You didn't."  
After a brief awkward silence between them, Lydia invited the boy into her room. At first the earl refused, assuming that this would be inappropriate in some way. But Lydia insisted and he gave in. He sat beside her on her bed and she instantly fell back onto she soft covers. "I began to worry about you," Ciel admitted. Where on Earth did that come from? "Did you now?" Lydia questioned. "Why ever would you be worried?"

"You know damn well why I'd worry! The second we arrived home you ran off to your quarters." Lydia giggled at the boy's concern. "I wouldn't have guess the Earl of Phantomhive would be one to worry about someone like me." "What is that supposed to mean?"  
"It means that I wouldn't think that a boy like you, engaged to a girl like Elizabeth, would even look at me for longer than a second. Let alone show any signs of concern," Lydia explained, sitting back up to face the earl properly with a small smirk tugging at her lips.

"I certainly wouldn't say that..." Ciel countered avoiding eye-contact. "Well, now that I know you're alright..." he said, letting his voice trail off as he hopped down from the bed. "Wait!" Lydia called. "Please stay... just a bit longer? I enjoy your company ever so much!"  
Sighing, Ciel obliged and climbed back onto the bed, facing Lydia once again.

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"Young Master," Sebastian called, knowing in his master's bedroom door, assuming he could be found there. "Young Master?" he called again after he didn't receive an answer. Finally, the butler turned the shiny silver knob and opened the door to find his young master's room unoccupied. Grinning to himself and closing the door back he walked not too far down the same hall, this time knowing for sure where his young master was this time.

Knocking on Lydia's door and calling for her, the girl responded, "Just a minute!" Ciel sighed, as he was in the middle of a sentence when the butler called. Lydia laughed at his expression, and Ciel's face softened at her smile. He hadn't seen her smile at all really since they'd returned to his mansion. He was more at ease at finding out that he could comfort Lydia in her time of need. He only wished he'd had a bit of compassion when his parents died.

Knocking again, Sebastian called, "Young Master." "Just a moment, Sebastian!" the boy responded, quite irritated at the moment. "Go," Lydia said, straightening out the wrinkles on her dress. "I'm sure he just has some concerns with dinner or something. Besides, I feel much better now. Thank you for staying with me, Ciel." She smiled again and Ciel quickly turned to hide his blushing face. "You're welcome," he told her as he crossed the room to the door.  
"What is it that was so bloody important, Sebastian?" the earl asked as soon as he closed the door behind him. "I was informing you that tonight's main course had changed, due to Baldroy burning the food." Sighing, Ciel responded, "Hm... i suppose that is important. Very well. Please see to it that dinner is fixed on time tonight." "I already have."

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Later, Sebastian was sent to wake Lydia for dinner, which was eaten in silence. Ciel told the servants not to even think about questioning Lydia about the events of that morning, as he'd already explained what he thought they should know. While Lydia faked a smile the entire time and complemented the servants on their work that evening, one could still tell that her heart was shattered.

Shortly, after dinner Lydia excused herself again, wishing everyone in the dining room a goodnight.

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_**A/N: ~xoxo~ Please Review! I need some feedback.**_


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